JUNE 2008

NEO2 – JUNE 2008

WHAT'S THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR AUTUMN/WINTER COLLECTION? 

THINGS. THE ART IS LEE BONTECOU’S ASSEMBLAGES OF METAL, CANVAS AND DENIM. I’VE LIKED HER FOR A LONG TIME AND FINALLY HAD A GOOD MOMENT TO FOCUS ON HER. 

THE OTHER WAS A SILHOUETTE FROM THE BAND KISS. I’D BEEN LOOKING AT THEIR EARLY PERFORMANCES FROM THE '70S WHEN THEIR AESTHETIC WAS MORE DO-IT-YOURSELF. I MISS THE SPIRIT OF THOSE PERFORMANCES-- DYONISIAN, TRANSGRESSIVE BUT WITH GOOD-NATURED CAMP. 

SEASON AFTER SEASON, WHAT'S THE BRAND'S SIGNATURE AESTHETIC IDENTITY? AND WHAT'S THE BRAND'S MAIN INSPIRATION? 

I GREW UP IN A SMALL CONSERVATIVE TOWN AND WENT TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. I’VE REALIZED RECENTLY HOW STRONG OF AN IMPACT THAT CATHOLIC IMAGERY MADE ON ME. SPIRITUALLY ELEVATED CHARACTERS IN DRAGGING ROBES IN DUSTY TEMPLES WERE AN EXOTIC AND GLAMOROUS IMAGE FOR A YOUNG SISSY TO CLING TO. IS THAT A DESIGNER CLICHÉ? I’VE KEPT THAT LONG GREY LINE AS A CONSTANT, AND IT’S BEEN WORKING FOR ME SO FAR. DÉFILÉS ARE GREAT FOR EXPERIMENTING WITH A FLAMBOYANCE I PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE PERMITTED MYSELF, AND I LIKE TO THINK ADD FRESH ENERGY TO MY MAIN LOOK. 

SHOULD FASHION DESIGNERS AND BRANDS MAINTAIN A CONSTANT, RECOGNIZABLE STYLE IN ALL THEIR COLLECTIONS, OR CAN THEY AND SHOULD THEY MAKE SIGNIFICANT AESTHETIC CHANGES? 

THERE DON’T HAVE TO BE ANY RULES. I’VE ALWAYS PREFERRED DESIGNERS, ARTISTS OR ARCHITECTS THAT ARE COMMITED TO A PERSONAL VISION AND I’VE TRIED TO FOLLOW THAT ROUTE. ON THE OTHER HAND THERE ARE DESIGNERS THAT MAKE EXTREME CHANGES THAT ARE DARING AND EXCITING TO WATCH. 

CREATIVITY-WISE, WHAT'S MORE COMPLEX: CREATING THE AESTHETIC IDENTITY OF A NEW BRAND OR MAKING THE CREATIVE PERSONALITY OF A BRAND WITH HISTORY AND TRADITION EVOLVE WITH THE TIMES? 

I HAVE NO IDEA. I WOULDN’T ENJOY INTERPRETING SOMEONE ELSE'S VISION FOR VERY LONG TIME. I’M PRETTY SELFISH AND SPOILED AND ONLY KNOW HOW TO DO WHAT I WANT. INTERPRETATION IS AN ADMIRABLE SKILL THAT I’M AFRAID I WOULD BE A FAILURE AT. 

WHAT'S THE BEST IDEA YOU REMEMBER COMING ACROSS TO DESIGN A COLLECTION (WHETHER IT'S DUE TO GOOD REVIEWS, RESULTS OR PERSONAL SATISFACTION)? 

I LIKED THE SEASON IN WHICH WE DID ALL THE SKIRTS WITH STIFF FOLDS, CREATING VOLUME IN FRONT THAT WE REFERRED TO AS BONERS [AN AMERICAN EXPRESSION FOR ERECTIONS]. I GIGGLED FOR WEEKS TO HEAR EVERYONE REFERRING TO THE “BONER SKIRTS” AT THE FACTORY. THAT’S THE ONLY EXAMPLE THAT I COULD COME UP WITH TO THAT QUESTION. ALL THE REFERENCES THAT GO INTO A COLLECTION ARE SO INTERWOVEN THAT I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THEM. NOR WOULD I WANT TO. I DON’T THINK IT’S FUN TO ANALYZE TOO MUCH. EITHER IT CLICKS OR IT DOESN’T. 

WHAT'S THE WORST IDEA YOU REMEMBER COMING ACROSS TO DESIGN A COLLECTION (WHETHER IT'S DUE TO BAD REVIEWS, PROBLEMS IN ITS REALIZATION OR BAD RESULTS)? 

WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING SHOWS I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO COLLABORATE MORE AND INVITE NEW ENERGY AND IDEAS INTO MY PERSONAL SPACE. I WAS REALLY WRONG AND HAD TO GET RID OF EVERYONE AND LISTEN TO MYSELF. FOR BETTER OR WORSE, I’M A LONER AND CAN’T USE OTHER PEOPLE'S CREATIVITY EFFECTIVELY. SOME DESIGNERS ARE GREAT AT THAT. IT SEEMS I’M NOT. 

DO TRENDS IN FASHION SERVE YOU AS AN INSPIRATION, OR ARE THEY INSPIRATION'S WORST ENEMIES? 

I’M A FASHION FAN AND SOMETIMES THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE AIR THAT SEEMS FRESH AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE’S STUFF TO REACT AGAINST. NOTHING’S REALLY NEW, AND THE SPEED OF FASHION NOW HAS CREATED SUCH A BLUR THAT VIRTUALLY NOTHING’S TABOO OR WRONG NOW. THIS GENERATION'S SENSE OF IRONY CAN KIND OF ACCEPT ANYTHING AS FABULOUS NOW. 

YOU MAY REMEMBER SEEING A GENIUS IDEA IN ANOTHER DESIGNER'S COLLECTION AND THINKING "WHY DIDN'T THAT OCCUR TO ME?". IS SEEING OTHER PEOPLE'S GOOD IDEAS A STIMULUS TO MAKE YOU THINK? 

SURE. A LITTLE COMPETITION IS INVIGORATING AND MAKES YOU RISE TO THE OCCASION. 

WHAT DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE STEALING YOUR IDEAS? DO YOU FEEL FLATTERED? FRUSTRATED? FURIOUS? INDIFFERENT? 

I ALWAYS ASSUME THAT IT WAS NEVER MY IDEA TO START WITH. I PROBABLY FELT SOMETHING IN THE AIR AROUND THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE ELSE. 

HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU WORK ON A DAILY AVERAGE? 

ALL THE TIME. ALTHOUGH I WOULDN’T REALLY CALL IT WORK. 

DO YOU SPEND MORE TIME THINKING OR MAKING? 

IT’S MORE LIKE MANEUVERING AN ARMY. THE CREATIVE MOMENTS ARE JUST GRABBED AT FLEETINGLY. THE TRICKY PART IS THE EXECUTION. 

WHAT'S THE BEST IDEA YOU'VE SEEN LATELY—IN ANY FIELD: FASHION, SCIENCE, POLITICS, TV, MUSIC, SPORTS... 

DANCING. I HADN’T GONE TO CLUBS IN YEARS BECAUSE THE MAIN REASONS TO GO ARE TO GET HIGH AND GET LAID. I DON’T NEED TO DO EITHER ANYMORE. BUT RECENTLY, I’VE BEEN GOING BY MYSELF TO AFTER-HOUR CLUBS EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNINGS. I LIKE THAT KIND OF CREEPY DARKNESS. AND DANCING IS SUCH A SIMPLE, PRIMAL AND PURE EXPRESSION OF JOY. I GET LOST FOR HOURS.